Motor starter drive



01:1.4, 1932. G, H. HOWAFD 1,881,053

v MOTOR STARTER DMVE v Filed Nov. 5o, 1951 laiemd` oct. 4, 1932 Par-ENTOFFICE n 'GEORGE n. HOWARD, or ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA MoToR sTARTRR DRIVEi i Application led November 30, 19u31. Serial No. 578,090.

. This invent-ion relates to the driving means 4 between the p startingmotor and an y internal Y. combustion engine. rlhese means usuallyconsist of apinion which engages and disengages 51.5 a gear on the.fly-wheel of the engine.

starter drive which willpositively engage p andvdisengage thestartingpinion when the 'electricstarting motor is rotated; 1.0 Another objectis lto provide a starter drive of .the character stated which is'yieldably Vmountedfand will not impartk a shock to the electrimmotoriorthefteeth of the gear on the engine. Y f ".15 "KA further object visvtoprovide a starter Vdrivethe spring of which also acts to move f'thepinion gear into and out lof.engagement when the motor is rotated.l YY `A furtherobject is tok providey a starter drive including 'a springwhich spring is readily removable andy replaceable when brokeru I f fOther-objects, advantages, and features of invention Vmay. appearl fromthey accompanyy '25 ing drawing, the subjoined detailed description, andthe appended claims. "Inthedrawing: Y i

Figure .1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the starter drive, electricmotonand fly- Wheel. Lv i y i f Figure 2 isfa longitudinal sectionalviewof thestarterunit in released position. Figure 3 isa sectional view.taken on line 3,3 of Figure2. t .f y Y v` Figure 4 is aviewsimilartoFigure 2but with the pinion in engaged position. f Y

.l Figure 5 isa sectional View taken on line v,5,15 of Figure 4. y n. Yy Figure 6 isa plan view of the starter. unit 24o with parts broken awayto show interiorcon- ,y j struction. .Y 1 v f f V-p'Referring moreparticularly tothe drawing, the-numeralLindicates the fly-Wheel of* anengine uponwhichthe usual ring gear 2 is mounted.' AnV electricstartinglmotor l motorB rotates, the pins 12 will travel in the Sismounted adjacent the fly-wheelv 1 and is provided with the usualarmature shaft 4. Al sleeve 5 ts'closely 'over the outer end of',.theparmature shaft and is secured to said v shaft by a screwl or bolt6. A housing 7 .fis 50 An object of my invention is to provide aslidably mounted on the sleeve 5 and a pinion gear S is cut on the innerend thereof, which gear is adapted to mesh with the ring gear 2-torotate the fly-wheel in starting the engine, all of which is usual andWell-known in the art. M y

Thehousing 7 is enlarged at its outer end, as at 9, to accommodate apair of spirally formed springs 10. These springs are secured to thehousing 7 at the forward end T60 lthereofby fitting said springs intorecesses 11 in said housing. Thevsprings 10 are preferably of the flattype, that is, they are sub,- stantially rectangular in cross-sectionand the springs are so spaced apart that they forma spiral track-way orthread in which pins 12,

12 are adapted to travel. These pins rise from the sleeve 5 and areeither integral therewith or are securedthereto.

At therear end the springs 10 are each bent to form a stop 13 and thestops are then welded, or otherwise secured, to a plate 14, which plateslips over the sleeve 5. A pair of oppovsitely positioned lugs 15 areprovided on the plate 14 and theser lugs extend into enlargedL recesses16in the end of the-housing 7. That fis, the recesses 16a-re so formedthat the plate 'can rotate a short Vdistance about the housing 5 againstthe tension of the springs 10, all of Which'will be further described.

A cover 17 fits over the outer end of the housing 7 and fits over thesleeve 5', thus holding the plate 14 and springs 10 against outwardmovement. The cover 17 can beeither screwed onto the housing or it maybe otherwise suitably secured.

In operation the housing 7 is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2with the pinion 8 disengaged from the gear 2. Now, as the 30to'theoth'er 'end of said springs.V

2. `In combination' with an engine' fly-wheel,

spiral path formedb'y the springs l0 and Will therefore move the housing7 forwardly and carryv the pinion 8 intoengagement, with the gear 2.

51 When the shock of this stop will be relieved because of the tensionof the springs and the motor Y willcontinue to rotate to drive theengine in starting the samewithout any shock. Also, 10if the pinion 8does not exactly engagev the teeth of the gear 2 the spring. 10willyield aV smalli amountksoas :to permit the motor 4to continue'torotate until the pinion has found a point where .itcanr engage'. It willbe 5 readily seenthatby ,removingtliecovei,17.

the springslO can be easily'removedandref placed when necessary.

a gear on thefiy-wheel, a starting motor, an' armature shaft ontheinotorof astarter drive comprisingv v'a hoiisi'ng slid'ably-fmountedon -thearinaturef shaft, a pinion' on the li'ousing, la; pair ofvspirallly 4wound springs-in saidliousLv fing, fineans removablysecuring' said springs vto the husingat one endthereoifpinsrisingfrmfthes'h'aft, :said ypins 'b'eing adapted to extend betweenVthesp'iings, which Ysprings Yform aspiraltrack-'wa and 'a3plate securedargear the Vfly-wheel, a starting motor, and anarmature shaft'onthelmotor of ast'arter drive coiiipris'iiig' Vvaf'housin'g slidably mounted"3,5"onthe yarmature shaft, apin'ion'on the housing,apair-: of spirallywound springsyin -said housing, "means V'removably `securing "said#springs to the housing at one end thereof, pin'sf v'"risingfrom' theshaft, saidpins being adapted "i0 toj extend between the springs, whichsprings form a s piraltraclr-way,and ya plate secured toftheotherend ofsaid spriiigsflugson the plate, said housing having recesses therein-toY j receive the lugs, saidreceisses beiiigfl-arger 4 5: than the lugs"so` that "a rotary movement'A of "the.plate is permitted.

Inv Combination l lwthfan engine 'fly- ,wheel', a gear on thelily-wheel, a vstarting mo# *.50 tor, andf an armature sha-ft on themotorof afstarter drivecomprising a'housing slidably i-iiountedV onthearinature'shafua -pinion o ii the housing, aof 'spirally woundspringsinV said housing, means removably se- 55 curing said s1g rings tothehousingatone' end -thereof,pins-risiiigffroin theshaft, said'pins.beingradapted to Iextend between the-springs,

which springs. forniva-z spiral track-way, lfand "a 'plate secured tothe other-"end f of said springs", .lu-gs onthe plate', said vhousinghaving recessestherein to receive thelu', gs,V said lrotaryfinvement'of'r'the plate"` is permitted, "andjaec'over extending oveiflthe Vshaftand pins 12'engage the stops 1.3 thek saidjf'piate 'firming 'lugsinnemen, and said housing having recesses 'therein' to "receive saidlugs,'\'said recesses being ilarger* than the ihousing is,- movedinwardly f andiontw-ardly,:ii

ispringsafreheld"inp sition.

(717. In 'combination'lwithfanengine fly- 178817053 v il 1li I nwherebyfgthe`plateraiid-springs are held in position.

4i.V In combination with anV engine fly.-

wheel,.a gear on thefly-wheel, a starting inotor, and an armature shaft:on the motor, 0f a starter drive comprising a sleeve secured to thearmatureV shaft, a; housing slidably mounted on said sleeve,'a pinion onthe housing adaptedfto mesh with the gear on the {1y-wheel, a pair ofspirally wound springs in vsaid housing, said housing having recessestherein to receive ,the Yinnerein'is of the spring,--said"springs beingspirallyi Wound to provide track-ways, a plate secured to the outer .endsof .said springs, and pins rising from l'said sleevewa'daptedto extendbetween v the springsgfand guided thereby, whereby the I-Iavingdescribed my invention, I claim 1. In combination'witli anengineffiy-wheel,

housing is moved inwardly andv outwardly. ..'5.::Ini` combination witrhan engine flywheel, a 4gear on the iy-wheel, a-starting ino- 35 tor,Iand an armature "shaftf on fthe-'meten of starter v.drive comprising "asleevel r`secured 'to the v'armature shaft, afhousing .Islidablyhousing, said housingihaving recesses therein to receive :the inner`ends eff the spring," said springs being -f''spira'lly jwound tolprovide trackiwaysfa plateisecui'edftoA the outer ends of lsaid springs,ffand pinshrising from sai df- -sleeve i adapted to'ex'tend 'l betweenthe springs and guidedthereby,-wheebyY the housing is moved inwardlyandroutwardly lugs whereby rotary movementf'theplate 6.1 nl @nannieswith engine. nyi105 :3110 ing adapted-toineshwiththefgearlon'-fthe l'fly-wheel, aupair o f lspirallyfwound springs 'in saidhousinggfsaidliousing havingrecesses therein,` to llrec'ei've' 'f the"inner fends of Y the spring," .said springs being spirallywound*'115 toprovide trackiways',aaplatej securedlto lthe Vouterr ends"y of 'saidsprings,`4 rand pins rising f'from said? sleeve adapted-ltdextend--between the springs and guided therebygwher'ebythe I2C saidplat'efelia-ving flugs' thereon, and said housing ihaving:recessesitherein1 to'f 'receive said lugs, said recessesbeing'tla'rger'than-the lugs whereby rotary movement of"y the fp'late vis" permitted, and af'c'over f secured ito' l said P2125 housing/andextending over the sleeve-fand against the plate whereby l said tor andan armature shaft on the motor, or

Y a starter drive comprising a housing slidably mounted onV the armatureshaft, a pinion on the housing, spirally wound springs in the Vhousing,means securing said springs to the housing at one end thereof, pinsrising from the varmature shaft and extending between the` springs, saidsprings forming Aa spiral track-Way iny which said pins move, a' platesecured to the other end of said springs, lugs onthe plate, saidhousing. having recesses l therein to receive said lugs whereby a ydriveis effected between the armature shaft and in Y the housing.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

